DC Comics is just hitting right now, giving readers everything they could want and more. You want Vertigo? You got Vertigo. You want mature DC hero stories? You have the Black Label. You want a whole new universe? Absolute. We’re getting all of that plus the books that kept the multiverse alive even when there wasn’t one: Elseworlds. DC’s Elseworlds books have always been fantastic, taking readers to all new worlds where the heroes and villains of the DC Universe are often quite different from what we’re used to. While the Golden Age of Elseworlds was the ’90s, we’ve still been getting amazing ones in the 2020s, including Dark Knights of Steel, by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri. This 12-issue series was Game of Thrones with the DC Universe and fans loved it. It’s had a sequel – Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter – and now the series has returned, with Taylor joined by artist Otto Schmidt, of DC vs. Vampires fame, for a first issue that hits all the right chords.
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Dark Knights of Steel #1 brings readers back to the world of swords, sorcery, and superheroes and it’s fantastic right from the beginning. Taylor and Schmidt make a fantastic team, with the artist taking everything Taylor throws at him and making it shine. This is how a sequel – or in this case threequel – series should start, giving readers some fantastic moments, cool introductions, and a hook that keep readers on the line.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Taylor is able to drop readers right back into the world as if they never left, creating a story succeeds in nearly every way | While it’s interesting, the main plot revealed at the end of the issue is a little cliche |
| Schmidt’s simple pencils are both detailed and expressive, giving readers some fantastic scenes | |
| A key DC character is introduced in a way you’ll never guess and it’s honestly perfect |
Taylor Created an Exciting Story Full of Great Moments That Only Slightly Missteps
So, it’s been a while since the first Dark Knights of Steel came out and I haven’t read it since then (it would be hard to find because I got lazy and stopped grouping everything by series; I have a job ahead of me one day) and I was a little nervous about what I’d remember. However, Taylor is able to kick off the book perfectly, using a smart framing device that will pay off later and kicking things off with some prophecies and a flashback introducing the Falcones, especially the Prince Victor, to the story. These sequences are able to step past what you might and might not remember, building the overall long plot of the whole series. Then, we get a text page catching us up on what’s happened and the characters. It’s super new reader friendly and I honestly can’t praise it enough.
From there, we return to the present, with the Els going to Amazonia to see Zala-El, the Supergirl of this world, become an Amazon, finally finding a home with Queen Diana. It’s a fun little sequence, building character and little pieces of plot. We get some alternate universe Batman shenanigans (Batman here is actually Kryptonian, the result of Jor-El and Martha cheating with each other) and then it’s back to Amazonia for the book’s action sequence and the set-up of an overarching plot. It’s an extremely entertaining comic right from the word go. I love the big reveal at the end; it’s a classic DC character in an entirely new way and it’s fantastic. The pacing is superb, Taylor finding a way to let everything breath. If I have any problem with the issue, it’s that we’re getting a traitor plot, something we already got in the first story. It fits the Game of Thrones aesthetic of the book, but I could honestly do without it. Other than that, the writing in this first issue is exactly what you’re want from it.
Schmidt’s Style Is Perfect for This Issue and It’s Apparent Right Away
Otto Schmidt came to prominence thanks to his work on Green Arrow with Benjamin Percy and has been putting out stellar work ever since. While he’s done and said some questionable things, the German penciler is a workhorse of an artist. In a lot of ways, I feel like he has a similar style to Dan Mora; both of them are able to create pages with simple lines that are deceptively detailed. While Mora’s work has more of a cartoon/anime feel to it, Schmidt’s is a bit different. There’s still that aspect of cartoony-ness to it, but it has a different feel than Mora’s despite being similar. Schmidt was a great choice to draw this book – his style even matches that of original series artist Yasmine Putri – because it fits perfectly into his wheelhouse – alternate universe DC madness.
Schmidt’s art draws you in right away. His pages have so much detail and are a joy to peruse, especially the double-page action spread in the issue. There’s a certain sense of energy to his action scenes, the kind that the best artists can imbue a page with. However, it’s not just the action sequences where his art sings in this book. His character acting and figure work are both top-notch. This book takes a pretty big emotional U-turn by the end and Schmidt is able to bring that to life with the art. His page layouts add to the whole thing, helping Taylor’s pacing of the story. This is some fantastic DC art.
Dark Knights of Steel #1 is a return to familiar favorite that truly delivers. Taylor and Schmidt are able to do that thing that so few other can do – create a nearly flawless first issue experience. A first issue can make or break a book and this one does everything it can to draw you in and keep you there. The writing and art gel together beautifully, giving readers some great moments and plots that bode very well for the future of this comic.
Dark Knights of Steel #1 is on sale now.
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